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The traditional corporate ladder is giving way to a new kind of organizational structure-the corporate lattice-in which success is no longer defined as a linear climb to the top, and rigid definitions of what work is, how it should be accomplished, and who gets to participate are being transformed. In this chapter, the authors explore the changing role each individual plays in directing his or her own lattice journey. Individuals need to treat their skills, experiences, and capabilities as valuable assets and navigate the lattice world by following three personal asset-building strategies: 1) Think option value: Actively seek out opportunities that open up multiple career paths; 2) Market your individual assets: Periodically inventory your skills and experiences and assess their relevance to the market; and 3) Optimize career-life fit: Continuously seek an effective and efficient tradeoff between your career and life goals at any point in time, recognizing that this is an ever-changing equation. Woven together, these three strategies ensure that you'll experience a high level of engagement-and satisfaction-no matter where you are in your career. This chapter was originally published as Chapter 7 of "The Corporate Lattice: Achieving High Performance in the Changing World of Work."

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